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ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Fight Back against Americans to Earn Shootout Win

December 5, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Oilers put an end to a brief two-game skid on Friday night with a 5-4 shootout win over the Allen Americans in front of 4,141 at the BOK Center. Twice in the third period, the Oilers overcame a one-goal deficit as they ended the Americans' streak of four-straight wins in the season series.

For a third straight game, it was the Americans who struck first. With Jake Obermeyer in the penalty box for interference, a quick power play passing exchange between Jack Combs, Chad Costello, and Gary Steffes ended with Steffes tapping the puck past Tulsa goalie Kevin Carr for his thirteenth goal of the season at 12:20 of the first frame. Combs' pass from the far circle was one-touched by Costello in the near face off dot to the front of the Oilers' net where Steffes' stick was waiting. The Oilers leveled the score at 18:09 after an outlet pass from Scott Macaulay put Tommy Mele on a breakaway. The left-winger sped towards Allen goalie Riley Gill and stuffed a forehand inside the far post for his sixth tally of the season.

At the 6:15 mark of the second period, Tulsa forward Kyle O'Kane swatted a loose puck past Gill to give the Oilers a 2-1 advantage. For the first time in the last seven periods against the Americans, the Oilers found themselves in front. The lead held for ten minutes until a power play snap shot from Combs sailed past the glove of Carr to knot the contest at 2-2.

Early in the third period, the Americans surged back in front. As Carr sprawled to his left, Costello lifted a shot into the top portion of net to give Allen a 3-2 edge. The eleventh goal of the season for Costello was his fifth goal in three games against the Oilers this week. Tulsa found the equalizer at 9:05 of the final frame in the form of an Adam Pleskach one-timer. Jon Booras won a clean face off directly to Pleskach who hammered a shot past Gill from the edge of the right circle. Ian Schultz re-claimed the momentum for the visitors at 10:58 with a shot from the slot that slid through legs of Carr. Combs recorded an assist on Schultz' tally for his fourth point of the evening. Once again, the Oilers responded with O'Kane's second goal of the contest. Kevin Noble ripped a slap shot from the blue line and O'Kane deflected the puck past Gill to even the game at 4-4. O'Kane registered his first multi-goal outing of the season and helped the Oilers force overtime.

Five minutes of extra hockey decided nothing and for the second time this season, the Oilers and Americans squared off in a shootout. Allen won the previous shootout on Thanksgiving Day but on Friday night it was Carr who stole the show for Tulsa. The rookie netminder slammed the door on all five Americans' attempts after making 37 saves through regulation and overtime. Drew Fisher was the only Oiler to solve Gill in the shootout but it was enough to give Tulsa the win and the extra point.

The Oilers went 0-for-4 on the power play and failed to score on the man-advantage for a fifth consecutive game. O'Kane, Tommy Mele, and Dave Pszenyczny each posted a pair of points as the Oilers improved to 3-4-1 against the Americans this season. Carr recorded his league-leading eleventh win of the season and has now stopped 21 of the 24 shootout attempts he has faced.

Tulsa travels to Missouri on Saturday night to conclude a stretch of nine games in 13 days.

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